Property tax relief may appear on Burke ballots this November

Voters in Burke County could weigh in this November on a state-level proposal to cap local property tax increases, a measure supporters say would ease residents’ tax burdens, but local government leaders warn could limit services.

Increasing property tax bills are pricing out many residents on fixed incomes, several members of the House Select Committee on Property Tax Reduction and Reform said. The committee has recommended placing the issue on the November ballot as a constitutional amendment, which would mandate the General Assembly to take action.

According to analysis from the John Locke Foundation, a Raleigh-based, conservative-leaning think tank, nine of North Carolina’s 10 most populous counties collected nearly $3 billion more in property taxes over the past decade than what inflation and population growth justify.

House Speaker Destin Hall, who created the House committee in December 2025, applauded the committee for its work to alleviate tax burdens on residents across the state.

“Property tax hikes are overburdening North Carolina families, who are footing the bill while some local governments take in far more than inflation and population growth can justify,” Hall stated in an announcement from his office. “I applaud the House Select Committee on Property Tax Reduction and Reform for pursuing real reforms like the constitutional amendment on levy limits, which would ease this burden so North Carolinians can keep more of their hard-earned money.”

The bill would have to pass through both the House and the Senate before it can be placed on the statewide Nov. 3 ballot for voter approval. The amendment wouldn’t state specifically how increases would be restricted, but lawmakers would decide that in accompanying legislation.

House Minority Leader Robert Reives II, representing Chatham and Randolph counties, wrote in a statement that he’s glad to see Republican leadership recognizing North Carolinians are living through an affordability crisis, but that the General Assembly has only exacerbated the issue by failing in basic duties.

“For years, they have pushed state responsibilities like public safety and school funding onto counties and now fault them for providing basic services to their residents,” Reives stated. “The General Assembly could take action to raise the minimum wage, to fund Medicaid fully, or to pass a state budget. Instead, we get political stunts like this to give their vulnerable incumbents a platform to run on when very little of substance has been accomplished this biennium.”

Burke County’s Rep. Hugh Blackwell has not been part of the committee, but both he and Sen. Warren Daniel said their stances on the issue will come once they delve more deeply into what’s being proposed.

Two municipalities in Burke County have already been discussing raising property taxes, which is the only form of revenue local governments can control in North Carolina. Some managers have expressed concern that a potential cap on property taxes could limit services such as public safety.

Drexel Town Manager Bill Caroll is proposing a 3-cent increase, which would raise property taxes from 35 cents to 38 cents per $100 of assessed value. Even with the increase, Drexel would still have the lowest property tax rate among full-service municipalities in Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties.

Valdese is considering a tax increase from 41.5 cents to 54.5 cents per $100 of assessed value. The increase keeps ad valorem at the same rate but includes a 13-cent fire district tax to target rising costs, including retirements and a hefty public safety facility investment.

Other local governments, including the City of Morganton, Town of Glen Alpine, Town of Rutherford College, and Burke County, have not yet indicated whether residents can expect a property tax increase. Many municipalities will present budgets in May or June, before the new fiscal year begins on July 1.